


acceptance

by musics



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, a hint of angst, they're living in florence together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28887927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musics/pseuds/musics
Summary: Izumi’s breath hitches as Leo presses a gentle kiss to Izumi’s knuckles.
Relationships: Sena Izumi/Tsukinaga Leo
Comments: 10
Kudos: 62





	acceptance

The weather in Florence isn’t nearly as cold as it would be back home in Japan, but Izumi still has a strong collection of coats hanging in his closet. He takes a look at said coats, and then at his (very) small suitcase he’s taking to Japan, and then back at his closet. 

As Izumi flips through the coats once again, he hears singing coming from the adjacent room, where Leo is supposed to be packing for their trip back to Japan. Izumi sighs, and pulls out the nicest coat he sees (not necessarily the warmest, but he’s willing to make a few sacrifices to make himself look good), and walks over to Leo’s room, where he knows Leo has gotten distracted again. 

Izumi opens the door to Leo’s room and is not at all surprised at the sight of Leo sitting on the floor, singing to himself as he messily scrawls out notes on crumpled sheets of paper. He doesn’t seem to notice Izumi walking in, nor does he react when Izumi sits down next to him. 

Leo has his hair down, and with the rays of the setting sun filtering through the window and falling on him, he looks radiant. Leo’s wearing sweats that look several years old, but Izumi thinks that he looks more beautiful that all the models he’s ever worked with. Seeing Leo like this, writing music with a peaceful smile, makes something in Izumi’s chest melt. This Leo is reminiscent of the Leo Izumi got to know in their early high school days, before the events of the war, before the pain they were both put through, before Izumi made the mistake of pushing Leo away. Now, seeing Leo with such a happy smile on his face, writing music again without a care in the world, makes some of the wounds Izumi carries begin to heal.

A lock of hair falls in front of Leo’s face, and Leo blows it out of his face absentmindedly, only for it to fall in his eyes again. Izumi stifles a laugh, and resists the urge to push the hair back himself. 

He settles for tapping Leo’s shoulder, and Leo jumps, his pen skidding across the paper.

“Sena!” Leo exclaims, turning to him with a scowl on his face. “You just ruined my masterpiece!”

“You can fix it later,” Izumi replies, standing up. “Did you forget that you have to finish packing your suitcase?”

Leo’s eyes widen, and he springs into a standing position. “I completely forgot!” He jumps over the pieces of sheet music on the ground to reach his suitcase, and then immediately comes to a stop. Izumi looks over at the completely empty suitcase before Leo, and sighs. 

“Sena, help me pack~,” Leo whines. 

“We’re only going to be there for a week, what do you need my help for?” Izumi says this, but he’s already scanning Leo’s open closet for clothes that would be best to visit Japan this time of year. 

Leo seems to realize this as well. 

(He always could read Izumi best.) 

Leo jumps back over to Izumi and wraps his arms around him. “Sena, you’re the best! I love you!”

Izumi pretends like his face doesn’t flush bright red at this, and he shoves Leo off, Leo laughing a bright laugh that makes Izumi’s heart skip. 

***

It’s late evening when they finish packing, and Izumi feels exhausted after having to reel Leo back in on several occasions to focus on their task, but spending time with Leo makes his chest feel light, like the heavy weights normally pulling his heart down don’t exist. 

Izumi pulls open the fridge to see what he can prepare for dinner, and immediately closes it when he remembers he cooked the last of it yesterday so no food would go bad while they were both gone. Without any food at home, their only option is to dine out. 

“Leo-kun,” he calls, and hears a dissatisfied grumble from the living room. Izumi frowns and makes his way over to see what’s upsetting him. 

Leo is holding Izumi’s knitting needles and a ball of yarn, and both are tangled up in his fingers. He’s frowning as he unsuccessfully tries to release his hands, and normally Izumi would be incredibly annoyed to see Leo messing with his knitting supplies, but all he can think of is how  _ cute _ Leo looks pouting. 

“Senaaa, help me out,” Leo pleads, and Izumi smiles, not moving from his position several feet away. 

“What’s the lesson you’ve learned from this?” Izumi asks, folding his arms. 

“I’ve learned to never mess with Sena-san’s knitting supplies! Now please, help me out!” Leo fruitlessly shakes the tangles of yarn wrapped around his hands, and Izumi decides to take pity on him and kneels down in front of him to gently pull at the strings. 

Izumi can feel Leo’s gaze on him as he works, but he doesn’t dare to look up and meet his eyes. He examines Leo’s hands and notes the fading scars, and his stomach feels heavy thinking of the pain Leo went through, something Izumi helped cause, something he was never there to help heal. He thinks of the months he spent fighting with Leo, when he instead should have supported him, like a true knight to his king. 

Izumi’s hands begin to shake, and Leo maneuvers his hands so that he’s loosely holding onto Izumi’s, steadying him. 

“Sena, what’s wrong?” Leo asks, concern laced in his tone. 

Izumi’s eyes prickle, and he blinks harshly. “It’s nothing,” he replies. “Let go of my hands, I can’t untangle the yarn like this.” 

Leo does as Izumi says, but he can tell Leo is not happy about it. A few moments pass in silence before Leo says, “Sena, you know I forgive you, right?”

Izumi snaps his head up and meets Leo’s eyes, the piercing green filled with a warmth Izumi doesn’t deserve. “That doesn’t matter,” Izumi mutters, turning his attention back to the yarn, almost detangled. “I don’t forgive myself.” 

“Well, you should!” Leo’s voice is rising in pitch, but Izumi doesn’t look up again, unable to meet his eyes. “Yes, you made mistakes, but you’ve worked hard to fix them!”

“But I wasn’t there for you when you needed me most!” Izumi’s voice grows to match Leo’s. “I played a part in breaking you, and when you needed someone to help you heal, I left your side!”

Leo grabs onto his hands insistently. “Where are you now?” 

Izumi stays silent, and Leo continues. “You’re by my side! You’re helping me every day, whether it’s making sure I don’t do anything stupid, or making sure I eat properly every day, or even just talking to me, you’re here for me now, and that’s what matters!” Leo’s hands are warm and his gaze is fiery, boring into Izumi’s eyes. With this kind of fierceness, Leo truly resembles a lion, much like his name suggests. 

Leo brings their joined hands up, and Izumi belatedly realizes that he’s gripping onto Leo’s hands as much as Leo is to his. 

Izumi’s breath hitches as Leo presses a gentle kiss to Izumi’s knuckles. 

“Have some more faith in yourself, Sena.” Leo sets down Izumi’s hands, and the yarn falls away, finally freeing him. He stands up and stretches. “Yay, I’m free! What are we doing for dinner?”

Izumi almost doesn’t hear him, his heartbeat too loud in his ears. His face feels like it’s on fire, and he can still feel the warmth of Leo’s hands wrapped around his own, the gentle brush of his lips over his knuckles, and he shivers. 

“Sena?” Leo asks. Izumi jolts, and hurriedly stands up. 

“We need to eat out tonight. We’re out of food.” Izumi’s aware that his words are stilted and awkward, but can he really be blamed, after what Leo did? 

Izumi risks a glance at Leo, who seems irritatingly oblivious to the effect he has on Izumi, instead looking excited at the prospect of eating out. 

“Let’s go to that nice place down the street with the pasta!” Leo grins, the bright and happy grin that Izumi fell in love with. 

Izumi shakes his head and walks away from Leo to find his wallet. “Did you forget you got us banned from that place?”

“Wahaha, I did!” He doesn’t sound remotely remorseful, and Izumi rolls his eyes, already thinking of paying a visit to a similar restaurant a few streets away, one with the pasta dish he knows Leo likes. 

***

It’s dark by the time they head back to their apartment after dinner. The stars in the night sky are barely visible, but the moon is as bright as ever, bringing more light to the empty sidewalks than the intermittent lamposts do. Leo, energetic after a successful meal where neither of them got into any trouble at restaurants, rambles about an new piece he’s been writing, and while normally Izumi would be far more attentive, he’s distracted by the brush of their hands as they walk side by side, close enough for Izumi to be able to reach out and hold. He longs to lace his hands through Leo’s like he’s wanted to for years, but tonight, the yearning is especially strong. Izumi doesn’t know why he can’t make the leap, especially after what Leo did today. Maybe he’s a bit of a coward. 

Izumi doesn’t look where he’s going, distracted, and he trips over a stray rock and nearly falls. 

“Wahaha, Sena, you’re usually so graceful, but not today!” Leo laughs. Izumi tries to glare at him, but it’s hard to seem threatening when he feels so flustered. He dusts off his clothes and walks ahead, so Leo can’t see how red Izumi’s face is, but he hears quick footsteps behind him, so he knows that Leo isn’t too far behind. 

Izumi nearly spaces out again, but a warm hand slipping into his own jolts him back to reality. Leo laces his fingers through the spaces between Izumi’s, and grips his hand tightly. 

Izumi’s heart stops. His feet do as well. 

Leo is brought to a halt as a result, and Izumi takes a deep, shuddering breath and looks into Leo’s eyes, green, dazzling, and full of life. 

“Leo-kun, what are you doing?” His voice is shaky, and a part of Izumi wants to hide away forever for letting such vulnerability show. 

“What am I doing? I’m holding your hand!” Leo’s voice reflects the brightness in his eyes. “By the way, Sena, your hand is so soft!” Leo rubs his thumb over Izumi’s knuckles, and Izumi shivers. 

“But why? Why are you holding my hand?” Izumi finds it hard to meet Leo’s eyes, so intensely focused on Izumi, and he looks away, staring instead at a nearby lamppost. 

“I thought it was obvious,” replies Leo. “Sena~, you really aren’t as smart as you seem, huh?”

Izumi scowls. “Well, maybe you should try being a little clearer then!”

“Okay, fine!” Without warning, Leo takes his free hand, cups Izumi’s cheek and pulls him in for a kiss. 

Izumi’s heart may have stopped before, but now it feels like it’s going to burst out of his chest with how rapidly it beats.

Leo tilts his head to deepen the kiss, and Izumi can feel, with the gentle caress of his thumb on Izumi’s cheek, with the warmth of his hand still interlaced with Izumi’s, with the care that Leo kisses him with, that Leo truly loves him. And, as Izumi kicks away his worries and fears and kisses Leo back, he’s ready to finally accept that love. 

***

“Was that clear enough for you, Sena~?”

“You’re sooo annoying.”

**Author's Note:**

> i haven't posted fanfic in years, but what better than soft izuleos to bring me back


End file.
